Amsterdam Schiphol Airport

Flights or air travel are an effective way to travel very long distances, visit other countries, and reach destinations of interest on time. All the more so, as nowadays, flight prices have become more and more affordable. Amsterdam Schiphol Airport is the most important international airport in the Netherlands.

 

Located just 9 kilometers from Amsterdam, Schiphol was declared the third most crowded airport in the world in 2021. More than 72 million passengers arrived at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport in 2019, and the atmosphere of such a crowded airport can make it difficult for a passenger who does not have much experience with flights.

 

If you are traveling to the Netherlands and Amsterdam Schiphol Airport is the place where you will land, here is some useful information that will be important for your trip.

 

Basic information about Amsterdam Schiphol airport

Most flights to the Netherlands will land at this airport, and any information you can get about it will help you be better prepared for the moment you get there. Amsterdam Schiphol Airport first opened in 1916, at that time being a military base. History quickly left its mark on it as it was captured in 1940 by German troops. It was bombed and destroyed almost entirely, and in 1949, it was decided that it should be the main airport of the Netherlands.

The Current Situation at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport

Although it is one of the largest and busiest airports in the world, it is very easy to find your way around when you need to catch a plane. Compared to other, much smaller airports, the level of difficulty in boarding, finding the line, or even visiting the airport is much easier to achieve. This is due to the system in which Amsterdam Schiphol Airport was built.

The concept of the airport is a single-terminal, meaning that the entire airport from where over 60 million passengers fly annually and where over 1000 planes depart daily has a single terminal. This terminal is divided into 3 starting lines. Amsterdam Schiphol Airport has over 220 boarding gates and plenty of shops to entice travelers to buy international products and have quality moments while waiting for their plane to be ready to depart.

Unique attractions at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport

One of the attractions that will surprise you, if you manage to stop for a few minutes and admire the surroundings of the airport, is a clock that indicates the correct time in a rather strange way. The clock in Schiphol is listed as a work of art. Why is this watch considered a piece of art? Because every minute, a worker has to erase the hands of the clock and draw the ones that indicate the correct time.

There is no real worker that constantly changes the hands of the clock every minute. The concept belongs to a well-known Dutch designer, Maarten Baas.

Another unique thing, but still specific to the Netherlands, is the collection of transport methods that you can use to leave the airport. Almost all means of transport are 100% electric. The number of electric cars is incredibly large. Even buses that can be used for transportation outside the airport are electric. You will be pleasantly surprised by how much technology exists in one city, especially if you come from a country with a lower economic level than the Netherlands.

Negative aspects encountered at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport

The summer season is often the one that poses the most problems at Amsterdam Airport. Although there were problems in every season, the pandemic made them grow. Due to the pandemic and the rules imposed by this dangerous context, the number of employees at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport has been reduced.

And when the number of employees is smaller, you will automatically face a larger number of people waiting in line to check their documents, go through security zones, and maybe even board the flights they have scheduled. Employee problems create congestion at the airport in the hot season. If you want to travel to Amsterdam this summer, make sure you arm yourself with patience.

How to make sure you don't miss a flight

In an airport as crowded as the one in Amsterdam, the risk of getting lost, not understanding the signs and information plates, or even missing the plane is great enough for someone who doesn't travel that much. Here are some tips to help you make sure you don't miss the plane.

• Set a set of multiple alarms to make sure you're not late.
• Make sure you have fast transportation to the airport on the day of the flight.
• Check if the traffic is crowded, if the weather is good, and if the flight has been delayed.
• Go through the check-in process as soon as possible.
• Identify the boarding gate as soon as possible to make sure you are where you need to be.

What advice does the Schiphol airport team offer passengers?

Depending on the company from which you bought a flight ticket, you will have to follow the instructions you received when purchasing the ticket. Schiphol has a rather strict policy regarding arriving at the airport much too early.

If possible, and if you think you can handle it, you should check-in online to avoid the congestion at the airport.

To have a pleasant and relaxing flight, you should wear comfortable clothes that can help you feel as relaxed as possible. You will also be allowed to have a bottle of water up to 500 ml with you, so you will be able to take advantage of this as well.

In the end

Amsterdam Schiphol Airport also has a mobile phone application that you can download so that you can better understand everything you need to do before boarding. The DB Work team can also provide additional information on how to get a job in the Netherlands.

Want more information about the jobs available at DBWork? Access this link and see what vacancies we have for you